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Lizbeth Mahoney
Lizbeth Mahoney is a college student and a con-artist. History The world isn’t fair, her mother would say, applying her classic red lipstick like she was going to war. Those had been the last words her ex-boyfriend client had said to her before he had left her for dead in the alley with Lizbeth still growing in her womb. The world isn’t fair, she would say, you have to make it fair. It became a mantra, a lesson for her daughter to live by. Although, her chosen methods were less than stellar. Lillian Mahoney, an aspiring actress, a working exotic dancer, had survived on the kindness of others. Her sisters at the club came together and crowdfunded Lillian’s successful pregnancy and she had never let Lizbeth forget it. They were nothing without their community. And their community had nothing. Lillian was not the only one to be victimized by a rich and powerful scumbag. It was uncanny how much Lizbeth looked like her mother. Once she was old enough, Lillian recruited her into a vengeful crusade against the wealthy, to redistribute the goods to the people that truly deserved it. Lizbeth’s extracurriculars were acting classes in the back of the strip club. She learned how to work facials, when to tuck her hair, how to play people to get what she wanted without them being none the wiser. Lillian was still quite a looker in her mid-thirties, but she didn’t have the fresh virginal glow her daughter did. And her long slender legs. Lizbeth, armed with her mom’s driver’s license, went to bars and charmed Wall Street wolves into attending her favorite strip club for a promised good time. For her. The operation started small. They ran up the credit cards to get a bigger cut, the money being split between the few dancers at the club that were in on it. And then the money would be split again between their little family and all the charity cases Lillian decided to pick up. She never forgot about community. Once Lizbeth had complained about not getting a Nintendo 3DS for her birthday Christmas present. Lillian dragged them to a women’s shelter and had them stay there for the weekend. Now, do you understand? Lizbeth had to be humble. They didn’t get caught. That wasn’t why they left New York. Lizbeth was the bait and one man only wanted the bait. It was cosmic irony, Lillian making Lizbeth vulnerable for an attack in the revenge operation for her own assault, years ago. Lizbeth wanted out, she begged her mom, please don’t make me do this anymore. In her final con, Lillian got signatures to transfer ownership of the club to her and left it to her sisters. Then they bounced. The lines between hero and villain, vigilante and criminal blurred fast and soon enough they conned for the thrill of it. Lizbeth had fun crafting new identities for each school. She couldn’t help but lap up the attention. It was something that belonged to her. She had been the exotic new girl, the mysterious silent type, the sunshine artsy hipster. Until Lillian picked the wrong victim for a long con and bit off more than she could chew. He was mafia! Lillian said, shaking Lizbeth awake in their hotel room. The money wasn’t his. Her mother stuffed their suitcases with the necessities and dragged her down the back stairs. And the boss wants it back. They took a taxi to the airport and there, her mother bought her a random flight back to the States. They’re coming after me. I won’t let them have you. She promised that once the dust settled, she would wire Lizbeth money to keep her floating. And after a long, tight hug, they went their separate ways. Lizbeth spent the 15-hour flight curled up in a ball by the window. She was heading back to the States, after years and years of being abroad, and this time she only had a carry-on to her name. The money didn’t come in. Trivia Lizbeth didn’t just con with her mother. Peeved that Lillian would split their cut for donations, Lizbeth found new ways to get money to treat herself. Every day, as she walked to school, she would pass a playground with a basketball court. One day, when a basketball rolled to her feet, Lizbeth picked it up. Due to her size, the players were doubtful that she could play well, but Lizbeth quickly proved them wrong. She spent her childhood hustling for money by playing pick-up games in the park. Lillian was allergic to dogs and cats, so they couldn’t have any in the apartment. So, Lizbeth stole the pets of school bullies and gave them back for reward money. The con kind of backfired when she developed a crush on one of her victims.